


Trail of the Comet

by ThinkingAtEarlyHours



Series: The Final Prophecy [1]
Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Are there LGBT cats? Yes., Canon-Typical Violence, Original Clans (Warriors), RiverClan (Warriors), ShadowClan (Warriors), SkyClan (Warriors), ThunderClan (Warriors), WindClan (Warriors), you can't stop me
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-02
Updated: 2018-08-24
Packaged: 2019-06-20 12:50:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15534612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThinkingAtEarlyHours/pseuds/ThinkingAtEarlyHours
Summary: What if Starclan wasn't always right?The forest is overrun with the clans, and, as always, there isn't enough prey to go around. The clans have been too prosperous, and there are simply too many mouths to feed, not enough space, and growing tensions.Cats from each clan are chosen. But for what? And by who? And what is it that falls from the sky every night in their dreams? Now Lionfang, Honeykit, Blazestripe, Wildstorm, and Quickpaw have to figure out how to help their clans, and fast, before the lake descends into chaos.





	1. Allegiances

**Thunderclan** :

 

 **Leader:** Bearstar- a big light brown tom with amber eyes

 **Deputy:** Mudfoot- a brown tabby tom with green eyes

**Medicine Cats:**

  * Raggedwhisker- a black and white tom with green eyes
  * Flowertail- a golden tabby molly with blue eyes



**Warriors:**

  * Cedarflight- a brown and white molly with green eyes 
  * Cloudypelt- a white and black spotted molly with blue eyes
  * Howlheart- a white tom with blue eyes  _Apprentice: Hazelpaw_
  * Icepetal- a white molly with blue eyes
  * Sorrelwhisker- a tortoiseshell tom with one yellow eye and one blue eye
  * Beechcloud- a gray and white tom with blue eyes  _Apprentice: Sappaw_
  * Rainpelt- a dilute tortoiseshell molly with amber eyes
  * Flameshine- a red and white tabby tom with amber eyes
  * Shrewstep- a black tom with amber eyes  _Apprentice: Owlpaw_
  * Risinglight- a golden tom with amber eyes  _Apprentice: Snakepaw_
  * Pinefur- a brown tabby molly with green eyes
  * Bluewing- a dark gray tom with blue eyes _Apprentice: Stormpaw_
  * Runningstorm- a gray and white tom with green eyes
  * Fawnpelt- a brown spotted molly with yellow eyes  _Apprentice: Duskpaw_
  * Brookheart- a blue tabby tom with blue eyes
  * Cloverflower- a blue and white tabby molly with green eyes  _Apprentice: Frostpaw_
  * Elmshade- a dark brown tabby molly with yellow eyes
  * Yellowfeather- a golden tabby molly with green eyes
  * Lionfang- a fluffy golden tom with green eyes



**Apprentices:**

  * Owlpaw- a black tom with green eyes
  * Duskpaw- a tortoiseshell molly with amber eyes
  * Stormpaw- a black tom with amber eyes
  * Snakepaw- black and white cat with green eyes
  * Hazelpaw- a brown molly with green eyes
  * Sappaw- a red tabby tom with amber eyes
  * Frostpaw- a white and black tom with blue eyes



**Queens:**

  * Coyoteclaw- a dark gray tabby tom with blue eyes _Kits: Smokekit (dark gray tabby tom), Sleetkit (light gray tabby molly), Badgerkit (black and white molly)_
  * Daisyfur- a golden molly with green eyes Kits: _Birdkit (chocolate tortoiseshell molly), Leafkit (tortoiseshell molly), Brightkit (golden tom)_
  * Sunwing- a tortoiseshell molly, expecting Runningstorm's kits



**Elders:**

  * Nightfeather- a black and white molly with green eyes
  * Ravenshade- a black tom with green eyes
  * Scarpelt- a scarred brown and white tom with amber eyes
  * Halfleaf- a tortoiseshell molly with yellow eyes
  * Dustyfoot- a cinnamon point tom with blue eyes
  * Shorttail- a brown tom with half a tail with amber eyes



 

 

**Shadowclan:**

 

 **Leader:**  Briarstar- a dilute tortoiseshell molly with green eyes

 **Deputy:** Stonefall- a dark grey tom with blue eyes

**Medicine Cats:**

  * Darkfur- a black tom with amber eyes  _Apprentice: Crystalpaw_
  * Moonwhisker- a white molly with green eyes  _Apprentice: Shrewpaw_



**Warriors:**

  * Fastcloud- a black tom with amber eyes _Apprentice: Spiderpaw_
  * Nightstorm- a black and white molly with yellow eyes
  * Blackshade- a black tabby tom with green eyes
  * Batwing- a white and black molly with yellow eyes
  * Duskstripe- a dark grey tabby tom with blue eyes _Apprentice: Foxpaw_
  * Foggyheart- a gray molly with blue eyes
  * Mottledfur- a tortoiseshell and white molly with green eyes _Apprentice: Rootpaw_
  * Blazestripe- a red tabby molly with amber eyes
  * Maplelight- a red and white tabby molly with amber eyes
  * Swiftfoot- a white tom with odd red eyes _Apprentice: Marshpaw_
  * Cloudflight- a fluffy white tom with blue eyes _Apprentice: Deerpaw_
  * Coalstep- a black tom with green eyes 
  * Duststorm- a cinnamon tabby tom with green eyes
  * Whitefrost- a silver point molly with blue eyes
  * Lilyleap- a silver point molly with blue eyes
  * Heathertooth- a silver point cat with blue eyes and scars across their mouth
  * Vixenpelt- a red tabby and white molly with green eyes
  * Emberpool- a calico molly with green eyes  _Apprentice: Shinepaw_
  * Oaktail- a brown tabby tom with green eyes
  * Birchleaf- a brown and white tabby molly with yellow eyes
  * Finfoot- a gray tabby tom with blue eyes



**Apprentices:**

  * Crystalpaw- a white molly with black markings and green eyes
  * Shinepaw- a white tom with amber eyes
  * Spottedpaw- a chocolate tortoiseshell molly with amber eyes
  * Rootpaw- a brown tabby tom with green eyes
  * Spiderpaw- a brown and white tom with amber eyes
  * Deerpaw- a cinnamon ticked molly with green eyes
  * Shrewpaw- a little gray tom with blue eyes
  * Foxpaw- an orange tabby molly with green eyes
  * Marshpaw- a chocolate calico molly with blue eyes



**Queens:**

  * Sageheart- a chocolate tabby molly with green eyes _Kits: Leopardkit (black tom), Sootkit (black tom)_
  * Palelight- a silver tabby molly with blue eyes  _Kit: Splashkit (gray tabby molly), Whiskerkit (gray smoke tom)_



**Elders:**

  * Brightflower- a calico molly with green eyes
  * Goldenwing- a golden tabby molly with amber eyes
  * Strongjaw- a very old gray tom with yellow eyes
  * Ashfire- a gray spotted molly with green eyes
  * Rattletail- a black tom with yellow eyes
  * Frogstep- a gray tom with blue eyes
  * Flyingheart- a blind white molly with milky white eyes



 

 

**Windclan:**

 

 **Leader:** Wispstar- a white molly with blue eyes

 **Deputy:** Swallowfeather- a black cat with white markings and blue eyes

**Medicine Cat:**

  * Sootface- a gray tabby tom with one yellow eye and one blind eye _Apprentice: Redpaw_



**Warriors:**

  * Miststorm- a light gray molly with blue eyes _Apprentice: Songpaw_
  * Birdheart- a brown molly with amber eyes
  * Gorgeflight- a brown tom with amber eyes
  * Hawkshine- a chocolate smoke tom with amber eyes
  * Lightwhisker- a dilute tortoiseshell molly with yellow eyes, missing an ear
  * Littlepool- a gray tabby tom with yellow eyes
  * Dawnheart- a red molly with yellow eyes  _Apprentice: Goldenpaw_
  * Shiningclaw- a black tom with yellow eyes
  * Brightstream- a tortoiseshell molly with half a black face and amber eyes _Apprentice: Mothpaw_
  * Aspfang- a light brown tom with blue eyes
  * Greyfeather- a dark grey molly with yellow eyes
  * Cinderwing- a gray tom with yellow eyes
  * Puddlefoot- a gray tabby molly with blue eyes _Apprentice: Quickpaw_
  * Hollowpool- a black and white tom with yellow eyes _Apprentice: Copperpaw_
  * Squirrelleap- a red spotted tom with yellow eyes
  * Brackentail- a tan spotted tom with green eyes _Apprentice: Acornpaw_
  * Longwhisker- a handsome silver tabby tom with yellow eyes
  * Newtfoot- a gray tom with blue eyes
  * Poppyheart- a calico molly with green eyes
  * Needleclaw- a black tom with green eyes
  * Patchtail- a tabby tortoiseshell molly with yellow eyes
  * Thrushfur- a brown tabby tom with green eyes
  * Sedgewing- a cinnamon and white tabby molly with blue eyes



**Apprentices:**

  * Mothpaw- a chocolate tortoiseshell molly with a white chest and yellow eyes
  * Copperpaw- a dark red tabby tom with green eyes
  * Goldenpaw- a golden and white molly with blue eyes
  * Redpaw- a red tabby tom with amber eyes
  * Quickpaw- a brown and white tom with green eyes
  * Songpaw- a white molly with green eyes
  * Acornpaw- a brown and white tom with amber eyes



**Queens:**

  * Petaltail- a chocolate calico molly with blue eyes  _Kits: Rabbitkit (light brown molly), Smallkit (small calico molly), Sandkit (red and white tom)_
  * Heatherstripe (dilute tabby molly with green eyes)  _Kits: Burnkit (brown tabby tom), Tigerkit (brown tabby), Dewkit (black and white molly with blue eyes), Scorchkit (gray tom), Dapplekit (dilute calico molly)_
  * Honeywhisker- a golden molly with green eyes, expecting Cinderwing's kits
  * Mousenose- a brown tabby molly with yellow eyes, expecting Hollowpool's kits
  * Ferntail- a white and gray molly with blue eyes



**Elders:**

  * Eagleflight- a cream and white molly with green eyes
  * Pheasantfeather- a cream tabby tom with green eyes
  * Forestheart- a brown and white tabby molly with amber eyes
  * Rowantooth- a tortoiseshell molly with amber eyes
  * Whitefoot- a black and white tom with yellow eyes



 

 

**Riverclan:**

 

 **Leader:** Rapidstar- a blue tabby tom with green eyes _Apprentice: Flashpaw_

 **Deputy:** Wildstorm- a fluffy calico molly with blue eyes

**Medicine Cats:**

  * Yewleaf- a brown and white tabby tom with green eyes
  * Palewing- a cinnamon point molly with blue eyes _Apprentice: Pinepaw_



**Warriors:**

  * Ambereyes- a black and white cat with bright amber eyes
  * Pikeheart- a light gray spotted molly with yellow eyes
  * Rocktail- a blue tabby tom with blue eyes
  * Lakefoot- a blue and white tabby molly with blue eyes
  * Breezefeather- a light gray spotted tom with yellow eyes _Apprentice: Fernpaw_
  * Snowshine- a white molly with yellow eyes _Apprentice: Crowpaw_
  * Berryfur- a red tabby tom with green eyes 
  * Fogcloud- a silver tabby molly with blue eyes
  * Slatefur- a gray tom with yellow eyes
  * Yellowclaw- a black and white molly with yellow eyes and long claws
  * Adderfang- a black tom with amber eyes
  * Otterclaw- a brown tabby tom with green eyes _Apprentice: Ashenpaw_
  * Juniperfoot- a beautiful tortoiseshell molly with blue eyes
  * Sagefur- a chocolate tortoiseshell molly with yellow eyes
  * Quietstep- a mute black tom with blue eyes _Apprentice: Applepaw_
  * Rosecloud- a golden tabby molly with amber eyes _Apprentice: Molepaw_
  * Silverfang- a silver tom with green eyes
  * Pebblestream- a calico molly with blue eyes
  * Doveflight- a white molly with yellow eyes
  * Heronfeather- a white and gray tom with yellow eyes



**Apprentices:**

  * Flashpaw- a gray tabby tom with blue eyes
  * Fernpaw- a tan molly with yellow eyes
  * Pinepaw- a brown tom with green eyes
  * Applepaw- a golden molly with yellow eyes
  * Ashenpaw- a gray spotted tom with blue eyes
  * Molepaw- a dark gray tom with blue eyes
  * Crowpaw- a black tabby molly with yellow eyes



**Queens:**

  * Sleekpelt- a lithe silver molly with blue eyes  _Kits: Graykit (gray tom), Tawnykit (brown tabby tom)_
  * Frostwhisker- a white molly with green eyes  _Kit: Frozenkit (white molly)_
  * Fallowwing- a cinnamon tabby molly with green eyes _Kits: Deerkit (cinnamon tabby tom), Mudkit (dark brown tom), and Cedarkit (brown tabby tom)_
  * Rainheart- a silver tabby molly with blue eyes, expecting Berryfur's kits



**Elders:**

  * Redstripe- a red tabby molly with green eyes
  * Runningwing- a brown and white tabby tom with green eyes
  * Dayshade- a black and white molly with blue eyes
  * Whitestone- a white tom with yellow eyes and a crooked foot
  * Bearscar- a scarred brown tom with yellow eyes



 

 

**Skyclan:**

 

 **Leader:** Cherrystar- a small red and white molly with green eyes

 **Deputy:** Streamtail- a silver tabby and white molly with blue eyes _Apprentice: Specklepaw_

**Medicine Cat:**

  * Waterheart- a silver and white cat with blue eyes _Apprentices: Berrypaw_



**Warriors:**

  * Treeleaf- a brown and white tom with green eyes _Apprentice: Lightpaw_
  * Thornfang- a big brown tabby tom with amber eyes
  * Eagleclaw- a cinnamon and white tom with yellow eyes
  * Jaytail- a cream tabby tom with blue eyes  _Apprentice: Rainypaw_
  * Waspwing- a cream and white tabby molly with green eyes
  * Firestripe- a red tabby molly with green eyes and half a tail
  * Larkwing- a black tom with yellow eyes
  * Ravenlight- a black molly with yellow eyes
  * Littletail- a gray tabby tom with green eyes and half a tail _Apprentice: Wolfpaw_
  * Pebblefoot- a gray and white molly with blue eyes
  * Whitepelt- a white and black molly with blue eyes
  * Coldstorm- a white tom with blue eyes
  * Ivystripe- a white and brown tabby molly with green eyes _Apprentice: Breezepaw_
  * Mosspool- a brown tabby molly with green eyes
  * Kestralfeather- a brown tom with amber eyes 
  * Swiftstorm- a brown tabby tom with amber eyes  _Apprentice: Beetlepaw_
  * Tawnytail- a white molly with tortoiseshell markings and blue eyes
  * Bramblestripe- a brown and white tabby tom with green eyes _Apprentice: Yewpaw_
  * Stagheart- a brown and white tom with green eyes 
  * Vinetail- a chocolate tortoiseshell molly with a long tail and blue eyes _Apprentice: Volepaw_
  * Robinfur- a red tabby tom with green eyes
  * Russetwing- a red tabby tom with yellow eyes



**Apprentices:**

  * Lightpaw- a calico molly with green eyes
  * Berrypaw- a tortoiseshell tom with huge orange markings and green eyes
  * Rainpaw- a gray tabby tom with blue eyes
  * Wolfpaw- a gray tabby tom with yellow eyes
  * Yewpaw- a gray molly with green eyes
  * Breezepaw- a white molly with blue eyes
  * Beetlepaw- a gray tabby tom with blue eyes
  * Volepaw- a black molly with yellow eyes
  * Specklepaw- a gray spotted molly with blue eyes



**Queens:**

  * Seedfur- a cinnamon tortoiseshell molly with green eyes _Kits: Honeykit (cinnamon tabby molly), Sunkit (fawn-cream tortoiseshell molly), Starlingkit (brown spotted tom)_
  * Featherfrost- a white molly with blind blue eyes _Kits: Pricklekit (calico molly), Willowkit (white molly), Thistlekit (red tabby tom)_
  * Sparrowflight- a brown cat with green eyes, expecting Coldstorm's kits
  * Alderblossom- a calico molly with amber eyes, expecting Jaytail's kits



**Elders:**

  * Crowlight- a black tom with yellow eyes
  * Rollingwhisker- a brown tabby tom with blue eyes
  * Leafstorm- a chocolate tortoiseshell molly with green eyes
  * Cloudstream- a white molly with blue eyes
  * Dawnfur- a red and white molly with green eyes




	2. Prologue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some familiar StarClan members watch a distinctly unfamiliar argument and make a difficult decision.

The dark blanket of night covered the forest, as the cats of StarClan look down to see their shining reflections on the newly frozen lake. Leaf-Bare had arrived too soon, and the grimness of the situation was clear as the cloudless sky. 

 

The cats are as silent as the look down, or look through narrowed starry eyes at one another, but the air is full of a foul tension that hasn't existed in the afterlife since the fall of the Dark Forest, many many moons ago. The few cats who were present for that dark battle shuffle their feet uncomfortably, watching from behind as the fresher spirits restart their argument from the past gathering. 

 

Finally, as the night reaches Moon-High, a lithe calico cat, pelt glistening with starlight, shoulders her way through the surrounding cats. "Is there truly no way to help them?" She hisses, ears flat, glowering at the lack of a response. "We can no longer sit and wait for an answer to become apparent to us. Maybe there _is_ no prophecy to be had this season, but we can no longer wait. My clan starves."

 

"WindClan is not the only clan that faces starvation," a stocky black cat speaks up from the edge of the crowd, sitting still as the first cat turns to bare her teeth at him, "But the Clans will power through the harsh season. They have faced many moons of peace and prosperity, and while Leaf-Bare will be harsh, they'll survive as they have." A murmur of sad agreement billowed through StarClan like a wave. 

 

The calico's fur bristles. "You would say that, Owlstar. Don't think I've forgotten how you took your clan to the Twoleg Place to wait out a winter storm. Eating kittypet food. SkyClan _would_ stoop so low again, it's in your blood." 

 

Yowls of indignation sprung out of the much fewer cats of SkyClan as Owlstar stood to face his accuser. "Why re-open old wounds, Meadowstar? Worried SkyClan would survive what WindClan could not?" 

 

The two cats hissed and spat at each other, pelts bristling and class outstretched, their individual clans separating from the crowd to stand against each other. Willowstar, the most recent leader of Thunderclan runs forward to interject, but is cut off by Lichenstar, ShadowClan's newly deceased leader. RiverClan's Stonestar begins to separate his clan from the rest, desperate both to avoid the confrontation, but willing to fight any cat that dared step towards him. 

 

StarClan is huge and almost endless, and the cats nearest to the center of the group, the cats that shine the brightest with newly departed spirits start dividing themselves into old alliances. In the back of the crowd, a bright red tom watches with sadness in his eyes as his Clan descends into fierce rivalry and madness. With a sigh, he turns to the cat next to him and shares a look with an old mentor. 

 

Meadowstar lunges at Owlstar, who meets her with the same ferocity, and without a word Firestar leads a small portion of those loyal to StarClan, and not their old alliances, out of the hollow and into the darker parts of the night. 

 

"Is this wise, Firestar? The last time StarClan fractured the Dark Forest was born." A brown tabby asked, concern lacing his voice.

 

"I don't think we have a choice, Tigerstar." Tigerstar looked up to see his mother, Tawnypelt padding her pale starry visage towards him. As the smaller group of cats walked away, she looked back down at the forest. "The Clans need guidance, but not by those cats who can no longer guide themselves. Like the Clans of the forest, StarClan has become too great and too large to survive without conflict."

 

Firestar nodded, feeling the support of those who followed him behind his back, even though he was making the hardest decision of his life or of his death. "It's time for the Clans to fracture, but not time for cats to break. Following our signs to a faraway place, a new life must be made."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey wait, where are they going?????????
> 
> I'll try to have the next chapter up within the next week, I want to update this fic pretty frequently. 
> 
> We meet our first protagonist in the next chapter! 
> 
> Let me know what you think in the comments :)


	3. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New warrior Lionfang has a strange dream, and learns his new responsibilities as a warrior of Thunderclan.

_A streak of bright light, a group of cats, tired paws walking across a_ _Thunderpath_ _._

 

_His sister calling his name._

 

 _A strange forest he’d never seen before, bathed in_ _moonlight._

 

 _A streak of bright light. A streak of bright light..._  

 

 _\---_  

 

Lionfang jolted awake to a bat of a paw against his head and turned his head to see his sister standing in front of him, paw raised, looking at him reproachfully.  

 

 _Mouse-dung_ , he’d fallen asleep during his warrior vigil. He flattened his ears, embarrassed, and shot her a grateful look, which she returned, fondly rolling her eyes, before curling against his fluffy back once more. Nuzzling her back, he determinedly focused his gaze towards the entrance of camp, laying his golden tail against her side. Lionfang had inherited their father’s thicker pelt, and Yellowfeather often slept next to him during Leaf-Bare to stave off the cold.  

 

He didn’t remember falling asleep... Yesterday felt like a blur to him. Chasing a fox and her cubs out of ThunderClan territory was the most exciting thing to happen to him in moons; he was starting to think he and Yellowfeather would be apprentices forever.  _Lionfang_. It certainly would take some getting used to, but he purred with a bit of pride at his warrior name. He could almost hear Bearstar in his head.  

 

 _You faught with the strength and ferocity of your namesake,_ _Lionpaw_ _. From here on you will be known as_ _Lionfang_ _._ _StarClan_ _honors your courage and_ _loyalty and_ _welcomes you as a full warrior of_ _ThunderClan_ _._  

 

Lionfang could still feel the rush of adrenaline coursing through his body. So how had he fallen asleep?  

 

And what in the world had he dreamed about? Something bright in the sky? The memory of the dream so crystal clear a moment ago was fading, and he tucked his paws underneath his chest to shield them from the cold ground.  

 

The moon was still high in the sky, almost full. It wouldn’t be long before he and his sister went to their first Gathering as warriors! _I wonder if Robinpaw and Russetpaw had also been made warriors within the last moon._  Lionfang hadn’t seen them at the SkyClan border in a while, although it’s probably because the  _tensions between_ _ThunderClan_ _and her neighbors run high_. At least that what Cedarflight always said. His old mentor was littermates with their leader and so always knew what was going on between the clans, and if he bugged her about it enough she’d usually let him in on the latest. 

 

But not longer! Lionfang was determined not to be the high-strung apprentice of his old reputation. He was a warrior now! Time to act like one.  

 

Though, he hoped that the tensions weren’t too high that he couldn’t greet his old apprentice friends at the Gathering without being glared at by his old mentor, but he didn’t want anyone thinking that the newest ThunderClan warrior was disloyal.  

 

Lionfang blinked slowly, pleased, and almost jumped out of his fur as he saw a flash of white light behind his eyes. “ _Lionfang_ _...”_ Opening his eyes in alarm, the strange voice faded into a whisper, and there was no one there. What in StarClan?  

 

After looking around the deserted camp briefly and determining this wasn’t some annoying prank Stormpaw was playing on him, he slowly got to his feet and padded towards the entrance of camp. Yellowfeather shot him a questioning glance, but he flicked his tail at her telling her not to worry.  _I’ll just be a few seconds_ , he thought.  _I just_ _have to_ _check if someone’s out there._

 

Pushing his head through the brush, he took a long look at the quiet, dark forest in front of him. Nothing.  _Maybe I’m losing my mind!_ Sighing, Lionfang turned tail and made his way back to his sister, lying down to wait out the rest of the night.  

 

\--- 

 

As the sun came up the camp was only marginally warmer. Warriors slowly made their way out of their dens, and to their respective apprentices and patrols. 

 

Lionfang stretched and shook cold dew off of his pelt as Cedarflight and Icepetal padded over to the littermates.  

 

“Yellowfeather,” Icepetal purred, a look of pride in the white molly’s eyes as she butted heads with her former apprentice. “Good morning, you two.” Lionfang nodded back to her. “Your vigil is over, you may speak.” 

 

“Thank you, Icepetal.” Yellowfeather responded neutrally, thin tail flicking behind her, betraying her happiness. Lionfang shot her a smug look over the white cat’s shoulder and his sister narrowed her eyes ever so slightly.  _I wonder if she’ll grow out of that annoying crush now that_ _Icepetal_ _isn’t her mentor anymore._  When Icepetal looked away for a moment, still talking about the morning sun, or something equally banal, Yellowfeather stuck her tongue out at him. Some things would never change. 

 

Lionfang chuckled, padding over to Cedarflight, who sat down in front of him with a cold amusement, brown tail wrapped neatly around her front paws.  

 

“Nothing to say, Cedarflight? For old time’s sake? Hey, how is Bearstar, I heard--” She cut him off with a playful cuff to the side of his head. 

 

“Go get some rest, Lionfang. Mudfoot wants you on a border patrol later today. Then maybe you can ask Bearstar yourself about  _what you’ve heard_.” He grinned at her before yawning.  

 

“Thanks Cedarflight,” he mumbled out through his yawn, turning to make his way towards the warrior’s den. Runningstorm and Bluewing made their way out of the den, passing him with a nod on their way to dawn patrol. “Come on Yellowfeather.” He flicked her on the butt with his tail, interrupting some sleepy attempt at a conversation with Icepetal, before stepping into the warm warriors den, still half full with warriors.  

 

After plenty of bickering with his sister and other young warriors, Lionfang finally laid down for a nap in his new nest, a brand new warrior.  

 

\--- 

 

 _Hunger. He’d never felt this kind of hunger before. And cold, freezing cold that bit down to his bones, which were poking out of his dangerously thin pelt._  

 

 _He looked up from the snowy ground, confused. Where was he? Was this another dream? It was so vivid. He shivered, staring at the sky and the bright stream running across it, almost like a stream of running water in_ _Silverpelt_ _._  

 

 _“Come on_ _Lionfang_ _, we have to keep moving. We can’t stop here.” He turned and spotted the source of the voice, a red tabby molly, who_ _clearly_ _once might have been beautiful had her shoulders not been so sharp, and her ribs not shown through her patchy fur._  

 

 _This cat was completely unfamiliar to him._  

 

 _Looking past her, he saw another unfamiliar pelt, another unfamiliar gaze met his eyes, another unfamiliar cat, all starving, all following him through the snow. So many cats... Where was he?_  

 

 _The red molly came up to him and licked him sympathetically on the muzzle. He almost drew back in shock at this stranger’s obviously closeness with him, but the gesture felt somehow comforting._  

 

 _“I know it seems_ _hopeless, but_  we _just have to follow the tail in the sky._ _StarClan_ _wouldn’t lead us astray.”_  

 

 _He nodded once, determination filling him, and turned back to face the stream of light in the night sky. He had to keep going. They were all counting on him._  

 

\--- 

 

 

Exhausted, Lionfang padded with his head low through the brush, following at the tail of Pinefur, Flameshine taking up the rear behind him. Even though he had slept through most of the morning, when Cloudypelt had nudged him awake telling him to join her patrol, he felt as if he hadn’t slept at all.  

 

 _It must have been that strange dream_ , he though irritably. As soon as Lionfang thought about that dream again he shuddered and squeezed his eyes shut. He imagined that’s what starvation must feel like, and he hoped he never had to feel it again.  _What did it mean? And who was that cat?_  

 

Lionfang felt a shove from his left side and opened his eyes to see Flameshine catching up to stride next to him, looking at him with a sympathetic gaze.  

 

“Rough vigil?” The red tom asked slyly, and for a second Lionfang thought that maybe Flameshine was the cat in his dream,  _but no... that cat_ _didn’t have white markings. Besides I’m positive she was a molly._  

 

“Not really, just didn’t sleep well this morning.” Lionfang responded, giving the older warrior a sincere grin. “Besides, nothing can match your vigil. I’ll never forget you yowling about RiverClan.”  _I was still a kit then, that feels like so long ago._  

 

“They swam right through the lake! Soaking wet, they were coming into our camp!” He huffed, acting more put out than he really was. Everyone knew Flameshine loved to talk about how he took on Rapidstar all by himself. StarClan had probably heard his boasting.  

 

“Enough chit chat, boys,” Cloudypelt said in her typical calm murmur, her stiff black and white tail barely betraying her anxiety. “We’re approaching our border with SkyClan, and Mudfoot said he’d caught traces of their scent on our side of the border this morning.”  

 

Lionfang’s ears quirked forward as he picked up the pace to catch up with Pinefur. Problems with SkyClan must have been what Bearstar was worried about.  

 

“Keep an eye out, but silent paws from now on.” Cloudypelt finished with a pointed glance at Flameshine, who lowered his head sheepishly, taking up his position at the tail end of the patrol again.  

 

Lionfang remembers hearing stories from before SkyClan came to the forest. ThunderClan and ShadowClan had shared a border then, and he shuddered to think about being so close to that murky stench. It was enough to smell ShadowClan at the Gatherings, and while the leafy smell of SkyClan wasn’t ideal, at least it wasn’t ShadowClan’s scent.  

 

Trotting along the border, each cat of the patrol kept their mouth slightly open to allow the scent of the border to be easily detected. Sure enough, about midway through the border there was a distinct cross over in SkyClan scent, although stale.  

 

After remarking it, they finished the border and were looping back when Flameshine froze behind him.  

 

Lionfang looked back, silently giving the flame colored tom a questioning look, and stopping as well when he realized why the other warrior had become so still.  

 

Hidden in the bushes to their right was a fluffy squirrel, seemingly unaware of their presence, burrying an acorn for Leaf-Bare. This squirrel would feed a queen. Lionfang nodded very slightly to Flameshine, flicking his tail to indicate that one of them should keep it away from the trees.  

 

Flameshine silently stalked backwards, red pelt blending in with the fallen leaves cluttering the forest floor, getting into position behind the squirrel.  

 

At Lionfang’s twitch of an ear, Flameshine rushed forward and frightened the squirrel, and with a burst of energy and a swirl of leaves, Lionfang pounced, pinned the squirrel down, and killed it with a swift bite.  

 

They jogged to catch up with their patrol, and Cloudypelt looked at their catch with halfhearted disapproval. ”This isn’t a hunting party, boys. But good job, you can bring that to the nursery when we get back to camp.” 

 

Squirrel in his jaws, Lionfang sniffed at her, turning around to roll his eyes with Flameshine.  

 

He caught movement out of the corner of his eye.  

 

Watched as slowly, three SkyClan cats glared down at him from treebranches high on their side of the border, hungry eyes glaring at the squirrel he held. Lionfang held the blue gaze of the large white tom at the front of the group, scruff puffing up menacingly, until the tom narrowed his eyes, and turned away, leading his group into the trees.  

 

“What is it Lionfang?” Pinefur asked.  

 

Lionfang gently put the squirrel down. “I saw SkyClan cats in the trees. I think we ought to talk to Mudfoot about making sure to look up while on patrols.” 

 

Pinefur looked up at the trees, tabby pelt bristling at the thought that they could be surrounded. “I’ll mention it to him.”  

 

“Thanks.” Lionfang picked the squirrel back up and followed the rest of the patrol back to camp.  

 

 _Is_ _SkyClan_ _hungry enough to hunt in the trees in our territory?_  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts? Please share them! We meet another protagonist next chapter, and I think you'll like her.


	4. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Honeykit and her siblings think something might be going on with SkyClan's leader, Cherrystar, who keeps sneaking out of camp late at night. But will curiosity kill the cat?

Honeykit felt her head get shoved into the mossy earth and squeaked like a mouse, attempting to throw Sunkit off her back.  

 

“Get! Off!” Honeykit mewled playfully, wriggling out from underneath her sister.  

 

Head free, she turned to give Sunkit a play-bite on the ear before she felt Sunkit get knocked off her.  

 

“Be quiet you two! This is serious!” Starlingkit gritted out from on top of Sunkit, who gave their brother a playful bat on the head.  

 

Starlingkit glared at Sunkit, before getting off and slinking away through the forest, in the direction they’d been heading.  

 

 _He’s no fun anymore_. Honeykit thought, scowling as she trotted after him. It was almost Moon-High when they’d snuck out of the camp, and it felt like they’d been wandering around for hours but not going anywhere.  _Besides, I’m tired. Does he ever know where we’re going?_  

 

“Come on, Starlingkit!” Sunkit mewled haughtily as she pushed herself into a seated position and gave her dirty pale pelt a quick lick. “Let’s go back home, I bet we’ve completely lost them.” 

 

“But I saw Cherrystar sneak out of camp!” The brown kit insisted. “I swear! I just want to know where she was going.”  

 

“Well  _I_ didn’t see it!” Sunkit replied, still sitting in place.  

 

Starlingkit turned to Honeykit, a look of frustration on his face. ”You believe me, right Honeykit?”  

 

“Well...” She started.  _I didn’t see it either, but..._ _I had a dream about it..._  

 

“See!” Sunkit hissed, tone not matching her teasing grin. 

 

For over a week now, Honeykit had been having horrible dreams. Earlier this night, right before Starlingkit had woke her up, Honeykit had a dream of following Cherrystar out of camp.  

 

 _Except I seemed much bigger, and she seemed much older. I don’t think following her tonight is what my dream was about..._  

 

"We did smell a bunch of cats.” Honeykit admitted, padding towards Starlingkit.  

 

Sunkit scoffed, tail high in the air. “It could’ve been a night patrol. You know that Streamtail has been paranoid about ThunderClan lately.”  

 

“Yeah, but they weren’t going in the direction of ThunderClan!” Starlingkit snapped back, fluffy ears pinned back in a kitten version of anger. “You can go back if you want, but Honeykit is coming with me!” As a sort of an afterthought, he turned his green eyes towards her as if to say  _right,_ _Honeykit_ _?_  Sunkit looked at her too.  

 

She felt her face heat up, as once again she was the one to make the decision in her litter. Honeykit’s mother always told her that she was the voice of reason between her siblings. 

 

“I do want to see where they went...” Honeykit said to Sunkit, padding past Starlingkit in the direction they were headed. Her brother sent a smug look towards their sister before following behind.  

 

 _Mom wouldn’t be too proud of this decision..._ Honeykit thought of how Seedfur would scold them tomorrow guiltily as she led the way further into the territory.  _She doesn’t have to know, we’ll be back before she wakes up!_  

 

“Wait!” Sunkit scrambled after them, almost tripping on her own tail in her effort to catch up. ”I’m not going back by myself!”  

 

“Shh!” Starlingkit hissed, then loudly snapped a twig under his paw.  _At least he knows to look embarrassed!_ Honeykit sent him a teasing glare, but kept silent as he’d requested; they weren’t supposed to be out of camp, much less spying on the leader of SkyClan in the middle of the night.  

 

They walked for what seemed like forever, trusting Starlingkit when he said he knew where he was going. He kept his nose to the ground, but Honeykit was starting to think he was just pretending to be smelling Cherrystar’s scent.  

 

It was well past moonhigh when Sunkit whined, “Guys? I want to go back.”  

 

Starlingkit stopped. Sunkit’s ears perked up.  

 

“Are we turning around?” Honeykit groused.  _They’d already come all this way..._  

 

Her brother looked back at her, frowning. “You can’t smell that?” Starlingkit squeaked.  

 

Honeykit and Sunkit both lifted their noses up and took a big sniff.  

 

“Yuck!” Sunkit squealed.  

 

 _She’s right, it does smell bad..._  Honeykit thought to herself, twitching her whiskers in annoyance at the new scent.  _But I’ve smelled it before. It smells like mom when she comes back from a border patrol._ With that she froze and shared a fearful look with Starlingkit.  

 

“Guys?” Sunkit asked, feeling the tension of her siblings. “What’s the matter?” Honeykit watched her sister turn around at the same time as a large unfamiliar black warrior slunk out of the shadows right behind Sunkit. Then, two more warriors came out of the bushes next to the black cat, flanking him.  

 

“What’s this?” The strange black cat purred, and Sunkit yelled out in surprise and fear, running behind Honeykit and Starlingkit with her bristling tail standing straight up.  

 

 _ShadowClan warriors_ , Honeykit thought with fear, although she stepped in front of her sister protectively.  _They’re rumored to have no mercy for the other clans... What were they going to do to_ _SkyClan_ _kits found trespassing in their_ _territory_ _?_  

 

She looked over the three warriors standing in front of her, assessing them as they were assessing her and her siblings. They were clearly very powerful cats. The sleek black tom who addressed them was clearly the leader of this patrol, and he was covered in scars. One even slashed right across his nose and into the corner of one of his amber eyes, which was squinting slightly more than the other. To his right was another black tom, but that was where the similarities changed. This cat was much larger and fluffier and had bright green eyes which weren’t looking at them. He was looking at the third cat, a tabby ginger molly, who seemed disinterested entirely.  

 

“They’re kits, Fastcloud.” The molly said wryly, then looked back at the three of them. Honeykit puffed up her fur and tried to look intimidating, even though she was more scared than she’d ever been. “SkyClan kits.” The tabby continued, giving her patrol leader a questioning glance.  

 

“I can see that.” Fastcloud hissed at his clanmate, and Honeykit felt her siblings shrink back at his tone.  

 

The fluffier black cat shouldered Fastcloud out of the way. “You’re scaring them.” He said in a deep voice, walking towards the trio.  

 

As he approached, Honeykit pinned her ears back and hissed, taking a clumsy kit swipe at his feet with unsheathed claws. “Get away you ShadowClan foxheart!”  

 

He chuckled, easily avoiding her swipe, and then crouched down to their level, looking her in the eye. “Hello brave one.” He purred, blinking kindly at her.  

 

Honeykit drew back and started at him.  

 

“Hello!” Sunkit piped up from behind her and Honeykit heard her brother shush her sister.  

 

“I'm Coalstep.” He introduced himself. “These are my companions Fastcloud and Blazestripe.” His fluffy black tail swished towards each in turn. Fastcloud rolled his eyes, but Blazestripe was now watching the interaction with an amused interest. “What are your names?” 

 

“None of your business!” Starlingkit hissed, trying to sound tough even though he had joined Sunkit in hiding behind Honeykit.  

 

 _Should I tell them my name? It won’t change whether they hurt us or not._ “I’m Honeykit.” She said slowly, not taking her eyes off him.  

 

“What are you doing in ShadowClan territory in the middle of the night, Honeykit?” 

 

“We were following Cherrystar!” Starlingkit said, excited now to explain their escapade. “Her scent came right this way!” 

 

“What does it matter what they're doing?” Blazestripe interrupted just as Coalstep was opening his mouth to continue the conversation. “This explains the SkyClan scent on our border, now lets take them home and be done with it.”  

 

“Take us home? No!-- 

 

“What do you mean take them home?”  

 

Starlingkit’s objection was overlaid with Fastcloud’s angry hiss. Now Honeykit watched with a growing sense of dread as Fastcloud turned on Blazestripe with narrowed eyes.  

 

“Take them home?” Fastcloud repeated, staring the ginger warrior down. Blazestripe stared right back. “We should take them back to camp and let Briarstar decide what to do with them.” 

 

 _Wow,_ _Briarstar_ _!_  As cool as Honeykit always thought the leader of ShadowClan was, she didn’t expect to meet the fearsome cat in person so soon. She’d imagined meeting her in glorious battle when she was a warrior of SkyClan, not being dragged into ShadowClan camp while she was still a kit.  _Are they really going to take us back to ShadowClan camp?_  

 

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Blazestripe said back in a neutral tone, though her body language seemed tense and ready to fight. “ShadowClan doesn’t kitnap. Briarstar will understand if we escort these babies back to their home.”  

 

((“Hey!” Sunkit whined. Honeykit joined Starlingkit this time in shushing her.)) 

 

“Are you the patrol leader here, Blazestripe?” Fastcloud asked coldly, taking a step towards the other warrior.  

 

 _Are they going to fight each other?_  

 

“I agree with Blazestripe, Fastcloud.” Coalstep interjected, not even turning around to get involved in the stare off. Standing up, he cut the small distance between him and the kits and leaned down. “I’m going to pick you up now.” He told Sunkit, who squeaked fearfully as he gently grabbed her by the scruff. Honeykit turned around and watched as he carried her sister back in the direction they’d came without another word.  

 

Blazestripe sent another glare towards Fastcloud, before padding over, and before Honeykit could formally object, she felt herself be lifted by the tabby molly.  

 

“Hey put me down!” She yelled, squirming, but unable to get out of Blazestripe’s grasp. Blazestripe just huffed.  

 

After a while of squirming she just settled down, seeing a seething Fastcloud with a terrified Starlingkit in his jaws catch up to her and Blazestripe.  

 

She sent Starlingkit a comforting blink, even though she was starting to dread appearing in SkyClan camp being carried by elite ShadowClan warriors.  

 

 _Mom’s_ _gonna_ _be so mad..._  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you liked this chapter, please comment! 
> 
> We're headed to ShadowClan next, maybe we'll hear from one of the warriors who encountered Honeykit...


End file.
